High winds in Monday’s forecast; DTE prepares for possible outages

Detroit, April 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DETROIT, Apr. 11, 2020 – DTE Energy is preparing for severe weather that is forecast for Southeast Michigan on Monday, potentially causing a significant number of power outages. These are challenging times, and the health and safety of DTE customers and employees is the company’s top priority. Crews are on standby and are ready to respond should high winds cause outages. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DTE is taking extra measures to keep people safe, including wearing face masks where appropriate, training employees and contractors on proper hygiene, practicing social distancing and washing equipment between jobs. DTE asks if people see crews in their neighborhoods, to please stay at least six feet back.

As DTE crews are preparing resources and gearing up, take a moment to get prepared yourself:

• Charge all mobile devices now and have extra battery packs on hand
• Assemble an emergency kit, including flashlights, candles, a battery-powered radio, bottled water and non-perishable food
• To keep your refrigerated and frozen food safe if there is an outage, please review this for more information.

If power goes out:

• Stay at least 20 feet away from a downed power line and be sure to keep family and pets away. Do not drive over downed lines, and know what to do if one .  
• Never use a portable generator inside your home. It emits carbon monoxide, which can be deadly. Keep it outside, away from windows and doors so the fumes won’t come in.  
• Find more safety tips at . 

Customers can use the  or visit  report an outage or downed wire, view the outage map and check the status of the outage. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, please refrain from calling the customer service line at 800.477.4747 unless it’s an emergency (such as a downed power line). Thanks to DTE’s smart grid technology, the system operators will be aware of all outages and will deploy crews accordingly. Follow DTE on and for the latest information. 

About DTE Energy

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.2 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects; renewable natural gas; natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage; and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE utility operations will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80 percent by 2040 to produce while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE Electric aspires to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. DTE is committed to through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at , , and .